News from May 2010
Goldman ties haunt Whitman; Brown supporters provided rich fodder
Meg Whitman (R) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-Hoping to help get California Attorney General Jerry Brown back in the governor's office, the state Democratic Party on Friday attacked Republican gubernatorial frontrunner Meg Whitman over her ties to a much-maligned global investment and securities firm.
Former Ohio AG sentenced over ethics violations
Marc Dann (D) COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline)-Former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann on Friday pleaded guilty to two criminal counts involving improper payments he made from campaign funds.
Conn. SC rules for state in Anthem stock dispute
Blumenthal HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - The Connecticut Supreme Court has ruled against a class of state workers over claims the stock issued to the state should have been distributed to them.
Cuomo files lawsuit against attorney
Cuomo BUFFALO, N.Y. (Legal Newsline) - New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced Friday that he has filed a lawsuit against a lawyer who is alleged to have sold the use of his name to debt collectors.
BP pledges to forgo liability releases
Buddy Caldwell (D-La.) BATON ROUGE, La. (Legal Newsline)-The top U.S. lawyer for BP said Friday that the energy company will not seek to prevent lawsuits related to its oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Louisiana attorney general announced.
Kroger, debt settlement company reach agreement
Kroger SALEM, Ore. (Legal Newsline) - Oregon Attorney General John Kroger has reached an agreement with a Texas-based debt settlement company alleged to have charged high upfront fees and to have encouraged its consumers to stop paying creditors.
More charges to be added to AG Conway ethics complaint
Mongiardo FRANKFORT, Ky. (Legal Newsline) - Kentucky Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo is planning to add more charges to the ethics complaint he recently filed against state Attorney General Jack Conway, his opponent in the race for a U.S. Senate seat.
State Farm indifferent about unsealing of Hood settlement
Hood HATTIESBURG, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - State Farm Insurance isn't making any arguments to keep the settlement in its case against Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood sealed.
AG Conway behind in Senate race
Conway FRANKFORT, Ky. (Legal Newsline) - Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway trails his primary opponent in the race for a U.S. Senate seat, according to a recent poll.
Oregon GOP leader lashes out at AG over transparency, jobs
John Kroger (D) SALEM, Ore. (Legal Newsline)-The Republican leader in the Oregon House of Representatives on Thursday called on state's Democratic attorney general to release documents relating one of his top aides who recently resigned after admitting to wrongdoing in a criminal case.
Miss. Bar worried about unethical lawyers
JACKSON, Miss. (Legal Newsline) - The Mississippi Bar is cautioning those affected by the recent British Petroleum explosion and oil spill about attorneys acting inappropriately.
Goddard settles with auto dealers
Goddard PHOENIX (Legal Newsline) - Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard announced two settlements totaling $195,000 on Thursday from two auto dealers.
Mo. AG secures restitution from alleged charity scheme
Koster JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Legal Newsline) - Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster has secured restitution and civil penalties totaling $544,933 from participants in a charity scam that allegedly pretended to aid veterans, firefighters and law enforcement officers.
Gansler takes on pyramid scheme
Gansler BALTIMORE (Legal Newsline) - Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler announced a summary cease and desist order against a Baltimore company and its related entities on Thursday following allegations of the use of a fraudulent "employment" pyramid investment scheme.
Gulf Coast AGs seek coordinated state-federal response to BP spill
Barack Obama (D) AUSTIN, Texas (Legal Newsline)-A bipartisan group of attorneys general from the five Gulf Coast states asked President Barack Obama and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder on Thursday to help ensure a unified state-federal response to the oil spill spreading off their coastlines.
Monument engraver agrees to settle with Conn. AG‏
Richard Blumenthal (D) HARTFORD, Conn. (Legal Newsline) - Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal announced a settlement Thursday with the former owner of a monument and engraving company.
Judge greenlights charge against Wall Street rating agencies
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline)- CalPERS, the nation's largest public pension fund, may sue three Wall Street bond-rating agencies over failed investments containing risky debt, a judge in California has ruled.
Tort reform 'godfather' moves to the Cato Institute; Class-action crusader joins Manhattan Institute
Walter Olson WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline)-Walter Olson, a noted legal scholar and one of the nation's leading critics of lawsuit abuse, this week joined the Cato Institute, serving as a senior fellow at the libertarian think tank.
DiCaro: Shelving Calif. greenhouse law will save jobs
Gino DiCaro SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline)-A proposed ballot initiative that would amend California's landmark greenhouse gas law would help avert anticipated job losses in the state's beleaguered manufacturing sector, an industry spokesman said.
Four auto insurance companies settle with Mass. AG
Coakley BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley has announced four settlements with auto insurance companies over allegedly inaccurate at-fault insurance reports as part of her ongoing Board of Appeal Enforcement Initiative.